[4714]

I would be skeptical to say if the sanctions worked.

Did it stop Iran from creating a nuclear program? No. Did it allow for a change in government? No.

Mainly the people who suffered most were the common people of Iran. The government in Iran took advantage of this situation to radicalize people against the US even more.

[hackuser]

> Did it stop Iran from creating a nuclear program? No.

It has stopped their nuclear program - see the news. More specifically, it didn't make it impossible for them to build nukes, but it motivated them to stop in order to get the sanctions relieved.

(Of course we all are talking speculativly, unless a someone very high in the Iranian government, who knows their motives, is posting on HN.)

[amalag]

I think it worked because it put pressure on the government. The government is not hugely supported everywhere, it would have had increasing pressure on its higher powers if sanctions continued. Do you remember the green movement?

This is very US centric but still interesting. http://iranprimer.usip.org/resource/green-movement

>The Green Movement reached its height when up to 3 million peaceful demonstrators turned out on Tehran streets to protest official claims that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had won the 2009 presidential election in a landslide. Their simple slogan was: “Where is my vote?”